Playing implement



June l0, 1930. c. M. wlNBlGLl-:R Y 1,763,205

PLAYING' IMPLEMENT Original Filed Feb. 9, 1924 Patented June 10, 1930 i' i ,i 1

,UWVfF-D STATES PATENT O1-.5Fl(2,3,

PLAYING IMBLEMENT Original application filed February 9, 1924, Serial No.A 691,809. ADivided. and this 'application ld t November 13, 1926. SerialNo. 148,212.- Y x My invention relates to a game to be played the thumb and forefinger and,l further, to on a combination of game boards laid out to vmaintain the first joint `of the fingerrigid, represent a golf course. thus enabling the player to manually operate An object of my nventionis to provide a the club in a vertical plane. v v 1 unique club holder and unique miniature clubs Referring to the drawings: Y

for use in playing. Figure 1 is a viewnin perspective'of the Another obj ect of my invention is to progame boards set for the lirst'and second holes, vide a golf game which may be readily packed with protecting net in place; l Y within a small space and transported at the Fig. 2 Vis a plan .view of a piece of metal i0 will of the player. after having been struck out of a large piece 46o A further object of this invention is to and before beingbent into a finger attachdevise a golf game in which the motions of ment;` Y v f the clubs are similar to the motions of the Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of the vfinger actual game of golf. attachment with club in place;` 2

r:[he actual game of golf is played on a golf Fig. l is a View in perspective of the back 65 course composed of al series of golf holes, ofthe finger attachinentjwthC111b in P12109; which vary in length, character of hazards v Fig. 5 is a view in perspectiveef the finger and natural condition of the ground. In my attachment with club in place and engaged invention it hasbeen my 'desire to vprovide on'the iinger ofthe player;

2o within a limited space, such vas the top of a Figa@ are views in elevationof the different 70 dining room table, a game, comprehensive Clubs used in playing the game.

enough to embody a nine hole golf course, Reference is made to applicantscapendat a sufficiently large scale, to make the game lng application Serial No. 691,809, filed Febinteresting, and yet so arranged as to be ruary 9, 192i, patented November 16,1926, played Within the previously stated limits. No. 1,609,911 of which this isa division, cov- 75 It would Seem that this @an only be acs erlng 1n more detail the game board set Jforth complished by using practically the entire in Fig. l. space for each -hole to be played It is evi- Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that dent then that certain changes must be made the 11min Sections of the game board do not to provide nine holes, varying in length and Yset flush on the base or table, but are elevated. 8o character, and still keep within these limits, Board E, carryingthe putting greens, is'sup as the game is being played. My invention portedron a central pivotand four rollers. therefore provides that one ofthe boards The VSectionl) hinged to the board C, carries shall revolve during the progress of the game, the driving; tees T` and T2. The board C iS thereby securing diterent conditions for varisupportedby a triangular piece of any suit- 85` ous holes and yet notI losing anything in able material c extending the full width `of Seal@ To lay out 'Such a Course in Series, it the board. The boardCis likewise supportwould require nearly the entire area of an ed byvmeans of a bow-shaped spring which ordinary house. is fastened at its middle to the bottoni of the 40 There are certain unusual `features emboard C. An auxiliary strengthening mem- 9 bodied in my invention which'can better be ber helps to supportthe spring at its middle.` described and understood by reference to the Auxiliary strengthening braces also help toy accompanying drawings illustrating theidifstrengthen the spring at the center of .each ferent parts of the invention and the methodl bow, where the spring contacts with the sup-v of playing the game. port base The ends are slottedand pass 95 The device which is the subject of this apover and slide on holding pins fastened to the plication is a fingerattachmentwith means bottom of the board C. The sectionoof the for securely holding the shaft of the playboardindicated by D is hinged to the section ing instrument therein, the configuration of CV along the joints and is supported by the 1 '59" the device being such as to permit contact of triangular piece #which isV not attached to 10 the board. The two boards C and E form a free joint at z' and by pressing on the board C near this joint, the spring is compressed to lower the upper edge of the board C below the lower edge of the board E, thereby allow ing the board E to revolve freely. In this way it is possible to bring the various holes into position as the game is played.

The two tees marked T and T2 form the tees for all the holes. The boards as shown in Fig. 1 are set for the first and second holes, H1 and H2. This set up also provides for the eighth and ninth holes, H8 and H9, as indicated along the joint z'. By pressing on board C, as will be later more fully described, it is possible to revolve board E into position so that the third and fourth holes, or H3 and H4, come into alignment with T and T2, then by releasing board C, the game is set for the third and fourth holes. By again revolving board E so that the fifth hole or, H5, is in alignment with T2, the boards are set for the fifth hole. By again revolving the boards to bring the sixth and seventh holes, or HG and o H7, into alignment with T and T2, we have the boards arranged for the sixth and seventh holes. By again revolving board E, the original position, shown in Fig. 1, is secured, thus bringing H8 and H9, or the eighth and ninth holes into position.

The greens G1 andG2 serve as the greens for all holes, the difference in the holes being provided for by the length of the fairways and position of the hazards as the board E is revolved. It may be found advisable to rovide freely movable hazards, such as bunliers to change the character of the holes as found desirable.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a moulding j is provided under board E on the base F, to prevent the balls from rolling under the board during the progress of the game.

It will be noted that the four leaves of the base, indicated by o have hinged joints at p, making it possible to fold them up into a boX like receptacle. Three of the leaves are provlded with small metal sockets at 7c into which the uprights, see Fig. l, indicated by Z are inserted. These uprights are bent at m, and all the uprights considered together form a support for the net n, and provide a means for preventing the balls from rolling o' the table as the game is being played.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I have shown a finger attachment formed out of some suitable pliable sheet metal and overlapping on theback, see Fig. 4, so that it can be readlly adjusted to lit different sized fingers. On the front of this finger attachment m is a square socket a into which the shafts of the various clubs e, f', and g fit, (see Fig. 6). The socket a forms a snug joint with the shafts of the clubs shown in Fig. 6. The finger attachment with club attached seems to work best on the forefinger with the hand in the position shown in Fig. 5. This finger attachment has an irregular top, see Fig. 2 showing metal before being bent into shape. The top is Cut out at b and 0'; c being cut lower than b', in order that, when the attachment is adjusted to the finger, that portion of the forefinger indicated by d Fig. 5 will be uncovered. The metal is then bent into shape to fit around a finger (see Fig. 3).

Before the shot is made, the thumb is pressed against the forefinger at d', see Fig. 5, then when the forefinger is released the club head moves sharply forward, engaging the ball and sending it forward in flight, similar to the flight of a golf ball in an actual game of golf. There are two purposes ac complished in giving an irregular contour to the top of this finger attachment. First, it provides a cut out place where the thumb can engage the finger, and, second, it provides means, namely, the upwardly projecting part y, whereby the lower joint of the forefinger can be held rigid. In this way it is necessary for the player to strike without using the joint nearest the end of the linger. By so doing, it is possible to more nearly imitate the correct swing of an actual golf club in a real game of golf and the results are more satisfactory. A cloth or rubber lining e is provided for the inside of the finger attachment to protectthe linger of the player from the metal, and to provide a more secure hold thereto.

The clubs provided, see Fig. G, e, f and g, resemble in the face of the club the actual golf clubs known as midiron, niblick and putter. All three clubs have their different uses in the game covered by my invention.

Referring again to Fig. l, a suitable cloth covering is provided for the fairways, rough and greens. A cloth similar to felt or canton flannel is best adapted both in color and teX- ture for the fairways and greens. The rough is best secured by a more fibrous material, brushed wool, or cloth with a similar texture serves admirably. A better result is secured if the boards are slightly padded before the final cover is put on. The tees, bunkers and greens are shown in contour. It is provided that these parts of the board shall be stamped out of some suitable metal, or moulded out of some suitable material. The whole board if practicable could be pressed out of paper pulp and then covered. The bunkers are lined with cheap cloth lining, of sand or dirt color; rough is provided around the outer edge of these bunkers.

However, the covering is not necessary to the playing of the game and the boards could be used in a game such as described without cloth covering. The same results could be secured by using a pressed cotton ball, or ball of other similarmaterial, to prevent the ball behaving in too lively a fashion. Any ball of any suitable material is satisfactory for this game, which in size is in keeping with the scale of the boards. If cloth covered boards are used, the ball employed may be of any light material, such as cork, or a light hollow ball may be employed.

In playing the gam-e, all players tee up on T to start, see Fig. l, as it becomes their turn and shoot for G1, or the green of the first hole, the object being to hole out in hole fw of this green, in the fewest number of strokes possible. The edges of the boards C and E as shown in Fig. l, represent the boundaries of the course, and the player who is off the boards will be considered out of bounds, and will be penalized one stroke. One out of bounds will be permitted to replace ball on the course at the point where it went out. The rules of golf apply in playing this game. The other holes follow in regular order, see Fig. l. I have shown this board as adapted for rotation in a clockwise direction to present the various holes, though it is to be understood that the direction may be varied. It would be a simple matter to arrange the greens and hazards on board E of Fig. 1 in a dierent manner. However, this would not alter the method of playing the game, nor depart from the spirit of this invention.

The method of play is apparent from the drawings and description, and considerable skill is required to successfully play the game with a low score.

The game played in competition becomes a source of much enjoyment and keen rivalry. The net shown in Fig. l can be made from cheap green cheese cloth, which harmonizes admirably with the rest of the game.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction hereinbefore set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A playing implement for a golf game employing miniature clubs, said implement comprising means adapted to iit on the index finger of the player and swing in a vertical plane, an angular socket carried by said means, and a golf club having' a shaft adapted to fit in said socket.

2. A playing implement for a golf game comprising a thin metal sheath adapted to fit on the index finger of the player and maintain the first joint of said finger rigid, a socket carried by said metal sheath, and a golf club having a shaft adapted to fit in and be held non-rotatably in said socket. Y

4. A playing implement for a golf game employing miniature clubs, said implement comprising a thin metal sheath having overlapping ends, capable of manual adjustment to various size index fingers, and of maintaining the first joint of the finger rigid, a socket carried by said sheath, and a golf club having a shaft adapted to fit in and be held in said socket.

5. A playing implement for a golf game employing miniature clubs, said implement comprising a thin metal sheath having overlapping ends and capable of manual adjustment to various size fingers, said sheath being so formed as to have cut out places at the sides, a socket carried by said sheath, and a golf club having a shaft adapted to fit in and be held by said socket.

6. A playing implement for a golf game employing miniature clubs, said implement comprising a thin metal sheath having padded lining, overlapping ends, and capable of manual adjustment to various size fingers, said sheath being so formed as to have cut out places at the sides and extensions in the front and rear extending to the second joint of the forefinger, a socket carried by said sheath and a golf club having a shaft adapted to fit in and be held by said socket.

7. A playing implement for a golf gaine employing miniature clubs, said implement comprising a thin metal sheath lined with rubber, overlapping ends, and capable of manual adjustment to various size fingers, said sheath being so formed as to have cut out places at the sides and extensions in the front and rear to the second joint of the forefinger, a socket closed at the upper end carried by said sheath, and a golf club having a shaft adapted to lit in and be held by said socket.

8. In a device of the character described, a finger attachment for holding miniature golf playing implements, said attachment comprising means to cover the end of the finger and to maintain the first oint of the fingerrigid so as to imitate the correct swing of v an actual golf club.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

employing miniature clubs, said implement 

